Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Pastoral Applications of Localism

Pastoral Applications of Localism

A while back I did a post on another site arguing for localist politics. We should try to reform the local areas before we move to the big leagues. I will try to show that localist politics has pastoral applications. Simply, if you are unwilling to do for your home what you are willing to do for the national government (ie, make it Christian, save it, restore it, whatever), you are deceiving yourself. The kingdom of God moves inward out. (This is an interesting argument for postmillennialism. If the nature of the Kingdom has always been to permeate the earth, then it makes no sense that God would at the end of history destroy the space-time order to establish his rule when he has been laboring to that end for all of history).

Pastor Paul Jehle tells a funny story. He was speaking to a group of ladies (and a few men) who wanted to restore America, Christianize it, and so on. He began his speech with:

"Do you want to see America become Christian?"Everybody cheered."Do you want to see the Law of God established in the land?"Not as many cheers, but still supportive."Then where are your husbands? Where are your children?"Dead silence"

Listen, if you aren't submitting to your husbands authority and discipling your children, then we are really deceived to think we can change this country. The rule of God begins in the heart and in the home, then it moves outward. The best thing you can do for your country is to go home, submit to your husbands, and spend time with your family."